Linda Myers, MD, of the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) has received a $1.67 million grant for research into autoimmune arthritis. 

Her project is titled, “Inhibitory Receptors and Autoimmune Arthritis.” The funding is from the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health, and will be distributed over five years. 

Myers, a professor in the Department of Pediatrics in the UTHSC College of Medicine, hopes her work will lead to the development of new therapeutic approaches. 

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an inflammatory disorder of unknown origin, but characterized by autoimmunity. There currently is no cure for the condition, and the therapies available have significant side effects. Dr. Myers and her research team are interested in targeting natural molecules to develop therapies for treatment of RA that are safer and have fewer side effects.

“In this application, we present a method for suppressing autoimmune arthritis by up regulating and activating natural inhibitory receptors called leukocyte associated immunoglobulin-like receptors (LAIR),” Myers said. “We believe that activating LAIR-1 receptors may lead to reduced autoimmune activity and less-severe disease in patients with RA. We have further validated that vitamin D increases when these receptors are activated, successfully reducing autoimmune arthritis.”